Automobile bumper



lSept l5, 3925. w

C. GHRL AUTOMOBILE BUMPER Filed Jan. 16. 1922 Patented Sept. l5,` 1925. l

i UNITED s'mrlzs PAlrllaN-T,cisl-fica,l

CHRISTIAN GIRL, 0F KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, .ASSIGNOR TO TH C. G. SPRING &'.

BUMPER COMPANY, O'F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

AUTOMOBI Application filed January v which will perform inan eflicient manner all of the functions required of such bumpers. A further object'of the invention is to-provide bumpers of this character, andmore particularly bumpers of. 'thev resilient-bar type, with awidened impact portion which is not only' capable of eiiectively resisting shocks due to collisions with other vehicles,

but of reducing to a minimum the danger of injury to other vehicles and to pedestrians. ll accomplish these objects and at the same time provide a bumper which is' compara-v tively economical of production in and through the arrangement of parts shown in the drawings, wherein Fig. 1 represents a plan view of a bumper embodying my invention, indicating the manner in which the same is supported from the side members of an automobile; Fig.4 2 a front elevation of the bumper shown in the preceding view; Fig. 3 a detail in section corresponding to the line 8 3 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;`Fig. 4 a similiar view, corresponding to thej line 3--3 of Fig. 2, but looking in the opposite direction from the arrows; and Fig. 5 is a plan view of the connection between'the impact lportion of the bumper and the adjacent portion thereof, a part of the eye on the inner member being broken away.

Describing the various parts herein by reference characters, 1 denotes thepnd portions of the front or impact section of a resilient bar (preferably a flat spring plate) and 2 the corresponding rear 4end portions of saidbar or plate, the rear ,endportions being united to the front end portionsby loops 3. The end of eachportion- 1 is ,provided with an eye 4. These eyes are connected by means of an upper anda lowerbar, cachot -said bars being provided with eyes for attachment to the eyes 4 and the said connecting bars being odset vertically in opposite LE BUMPER.

16, 1922. serial No. 529,651.

directions whereby they provide a widened central impact area for the bumper. The central portion of each ofthe connecting 'bars is indicated at 5, said central portions extending substantially parallel to each other and being spaced apart, the central portions being connected by curved inclined end portions 6 with eyes 7 adapted to be applied to the top and bottom of each of the eyes 4 and to be secured thereto as by means of bolts 8, each bolt extending through anVV upper eye lower eye 7. f v

Thel bars 5, 6 provide ajrame for a heayy wire netting, preferably .of spring steel, 1ndicated generally at 8. This netting is fastened to lthis'frame by bending the ends of the lwires around such bars, as indicated lclearly in Fig. 4. i The widened impact section is strengthened by projecting the ocentral portion of thev rear section of the bumper between the vcentral portions of thefbars 5, as indicated at 9. The bars 5 and the section 9 ofthe main bar are united by means of a sectional clamp, shown in, detail in Fig. 3. This clamp comprises a pair of upper and lower symmetrical members 10, each having va rounded recessed seat 10 therein for the co- 'operating portion of a bar 5; also a pair of intermediate members 11 each having a rounded recessed seat 1'1a complementary to the cooperating seat 1()a and cooperating therewith to firmly clamp a round bar ory wire therebetween. ln addition, eachof ,the in ermediate clamping members is providedat its opposite ends with a recessed seat 11", said seats cooperating with the op- 7, an intermediate eye 4, and a sal 'posite edges of they middle portion 9 of the rear section of the main bumperbar. The clamping members'lO and 11, having been applied to their bumper parts, ,are securely clamped thereto by means of a'bolt 12 having a head 13 at one end and a nut 14 at the other end. j v

n The bumper as thus ,constituted may., be supported in any desired manner, as by means ont clamps 15 applied to the rear portions 2 of the bumper and pivotally connect-- ed to supporting arms or brackets 16, as indicated at 17. The central portion of theV bumper, provided with the net 8, may be of any desired length and may, in fact, occupy substantiall the full length of the front'or impact section of the bumper. The bars 5,

icc

being of round stock, vmay be made of ordinary rod stock, and, being braced by the rear section of the bumper, constitute ,therewith a cheap and strong support for the network 8.

. Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A bumper comprising a rear main bar of flat plate material having front end portions, said front end portions being spacedl apart and each provided with an eye, a pair of round bars each having an eye at each end thereof adapted to register with the first mentioned eyesv and having their intermediate portions offset in opposite directions, bolts connecting the eyes of said round bars with the eyes of such end portions, and a' v.net-work secured to the said round bars.

2. A bumper comprising a rear main bar of fiat plate material having front end ,I portions, said front end portions being spaced apart and each provided with an eye,

l a pair of round bars each having an eye at each end thereof adapted to register with the iirst mentioned eyes and having their intermediate portions oifset i-n opposite directions, and bolts connecting the eyes of said round bars with the eyes of such end portions. Y

3. A bumper comprising a rear main bar of Hat plate material having front end poir-v 'tion's, said front end portions being spaced apart and each provided with an eye, a pair of round bars each having an eye at 'each end thereof adapted to register with the first mentioned eyes and having their intermediate portions offset in opposite directions, bolts connecting the, eyes of said roundbars 'with the eyes of such endJ portions, a net-work secured to the said round bars, the central portion of the rear bar extending between the corresponding portions of `the last mentioned bars, and clamping means for securing together the said portionsof said bars. Y

4. A bumper comprising a rear flat plate having spaced front end portions, a pair of rods connecting the said end p'ortionsnand having their central portions ofset vertically, the central portion of the rear plate being bent forward in substantial alignment with the central lportions of the said rods, means ysecuring together the central portions ofsaid rods and plate, and a net-work secured to said rods.

5. Abumper comprising a main bar, a

pair of rodsconnected with said main bar and" having their central portions offset vertically in opposite directions, and a network secured to said rods.

v6. The combination, witha bumper com- .prising an upper and a lower round bar and an intermediate flat bar, of means` for secur ing saidbars together, said means comprising an upper and a-lower clamping member,

each having a-recessed seat therein and a pair of'intermedi ate clamping members each having at one end a recessed seat cooperating.

. an intermediate flat bar, of means for securing said bars together, said means com )rising an upperand a lower clamping member each having a rounded recessed sfat therein and a pair of intermediate clamping members each having at one eiid a rounded re- A' cessed seat cooperating with the rounded recessed seat in .the corresponding member located exteriorly thereto and each also having-its inner end provided with a recessed seat for the reception of the opposite edges of the intermediate plate, respectively, all of said members being apertured, land a bolt extending through said apertures and c'on-` necting the said clamping members and the`l bumper portions fitting in the seats thereof;4

8. A bumper comprising a front or impact section having a pair of vertically lspaced round bars and a rear flat vbar arranged intermediate of the first two bars and connected at its ends to the ends of said'bars, the rear bar having its intermediate portion projected between the intermediate portions of thefirst two bars,

and means forelamping together the inter- .'mediate portions of such bars, the said means compr-isin `an upper clamping member having a ro ded seat in the lower surface thereof for the upper surface ofthe uppermost bar, a lower clamping member having a rounded seat in theupper surface thereof for the lower surface of the lowermost b'ar,

and a pair of intermediate .clamping members interposed between the intermediate bai andthe uppermostv and lowermost bars, respectively, each intermediate clamping member having at one end a rounded seat for the adjacent surface ofthe corresponding uppermost or lowermost bar and at its otherenda rectangular seat for the adjacent surl face of the intermediate bar, and means for securing the said clamping members together andA in engagement with the aforesaid bars.

In' testimony whereof, I'hereunto affix my signature.

A CH'RJiSTIA N GIRLT 

